Canister vacuum arrangement

ABSTRACT

A canister vacuum arrangement including a canister vacuum carried by a cart. The canister vacuum including a blower motor and a canister housing. The canister housing includes a separation chamber, a particulate collection region located beneath the separation chamber, and a filter chamber located above the separation chamber. A removable filter is positioned within the filter chamber. In operation, airflow generated by the blower motor enters that canister housing at the separation chamber, flows through the filter, and exits the canister housing through an annular outlet defined between the separation chamber and the filter chamber.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to devices for removing particulate and dust from a working surface or working area. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a canister vacuum arrangement for use in heavy-duty cleaning applications, and associated methods of operation and use.

BACKGROUND

Shop vacuums are commonly used in the construction and remodeling industry for removing and collecting particulates and dust from working surfaces and working areas. In some projects, such as the fabrication of a large concrete surface, a massive amount of dust and particulate is produced. Conventional shop vacuums used in industry today have bags that collect the larger particulate. During operation of the conventional vacuums, however, a significant amount of smaller sized particulate and dust often leaks through the bags. The leaky vacuum bags create dust clouds in the working area, which are difficult to work in and even dangerous to one's health. Conventional shop vacuums are also messy to empty or clean. In general, improvement has been sought with respect to conventional vacuum arrangements, generally to improve particulate retention and accommodate ease of use.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a canister vacuum arrangement having a canister vacuum and a transport cart. The canister vacuum includes a blower motor and a canister housing. The canister housing includes a separation chamber, a particulate collection region, and a filter chamber. A filter and filter cleaning device are located within the filter chamber. The canister vacuum arrangement improves particulate retention by providing a canister housing that contains and captures particulate and dust in a effective manner; and also eliminates the mess associated with maintenance of the canister vacuum.

A variety of examples of desirable product features or methods are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing various aspects of the disclosure. The aspects of the disclosure may relate to individual features as well as combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a canister vacuum arrangement according to the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is another front perspective view of the canister vacuum arrangement of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of the canister vacuum arrangement of FIG. 2, taken along line 3-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the various figures in which identical elements are numbered identically throughout, a description of various exemplary aspects of the present invention will now be provided.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a canister vacuum arrangement 10 having features that are examples of how inventive aspects in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure may be practiced. Preferred features are adapted for improving particulate retention and accommodating ease of use.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the canister vacuum arrangement 10 generally includes a wagon or cart 12 and a canister vacuum 14 carried by the cart 12. The canister vacuum 14 includes a canister housing 16 and a blower motor 18 that suctions and transfers particulate and dust from a working area to the canister housing 16.

The cart 12 includes a platform or base 20 having a front end 22 and a rear end 22. The blower motor 18 is located at the front end 22 of the cart platform 20. The canister vacuum 14 is located at the rear end 22 of the cart platform 20.

Because of the size and weight of the present heavy-duty canister vacuum 14, the cart 12 includes wheels and/or casters 28, and is intended to be a pull-behind cart that attaches to a piece of equipment for transport of the canister vacuum 14. A yoke or hitch 26 is located at the front end 22 of the cart 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the hitch 26 is pivotally connected to the cart 12 to accommodate a variety of attachment configurations of different equipment.

Referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, a box structure 30 is used to provide a mounting platform 32 to which the blower motor 18 is mounted. The box structure 30 can include various mounting configurations, such as holes and/or slots, to accommodate the mounting pattern of the blower motor 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the blower motor is a 4-hp motor. Suitable blower motors that can be used are sold by Penn State Industries of Philadelphia, Pa. The box structure 30 can be modified to accommodate a number of different mounting patterns of different blower motors. The box structure 30 can include an access opening 104 (FIG. 2) to access the mounting configurations. Structure other than a box structure can also be used. In the alternative, the blower motor 18 may be directly mounted to the cart platform 20.

The blower motor 18 includes an inlet 34 and an outlet 36. Airflow is drawn or suctioned in through the inlet 34 and exhausted or blown out through the outlet 36. An intake hose or tube 38 (FIG. 1) is attached to the inlet 34. In the illustrated embodiment, an intermediate hose or tube 40 is also provided between the outlet 36 of the blower motor and the canister housing 16. The intermediate tube 40 transports dirt, dust, and particulate suctioned in by the blower motor 18 to the canister housing 16. In alternative arrangements, the outlet 36 of the blower motor 18 can be directly connected to the canister housing 16.

The canister housing 16 of the canister vacuum 14 includes a first upper portion 42 detachably secured to a second lower portion 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper portion 42 is detachably secured to the lower portion 44 by latches 46, such as over-center latches. Other mechanisms and devices, such as fasteners and brackets, hooks, or dowels and cotter pins, can also be used to detachably secure the upper and lower portions 42, 44 to one another.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion 44 of the canister housing 16 defines a cylindrical separation chamber 50 and a particulate collection region 52. The cylindrical separation chamber 50 defines a canister housing inlet 54 (FIG. 1). The intermediate tube 40 interconnects the outlet 36 of the blower motor 18 to the inlet 54 of the canister housing 16.

The inlet 54 of the canister housing 16 is arranged and oriented to direct incoming airflow generated by the blower motor 18 toward an adjacent inner wall surface 56 (FIG. 3) of the separation chamber 50. That is, airflow does not enter the separation chamber in a direction toward the center of the chamber 50. Instead, the inlet 54 is offset so that a cyclone effect is created with the separation chamber 50 (as shown by arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the separation chamber includes an offset entry port 48 to which the intermediate tube 40 is attached.

Dirt, dust, and particulate carried by the airflow from the blower motor 18 to the separation chamber 50 can range in size from larger particulate to finer particulate. Larger particulate is the particulate that is not easily suspended or carried by the airflow, such that over time, the weight of the particulate causes the particulate to fall or settle. Finer particulate is more easily suspended and requires filtration or a physical barrier, as opposed to gravity, to remove such particulate from the airflow.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the cyclone effect created in the separation chamber 50 causes the airflow from the blower motor 18 to travel around in a circular pattern within the chamber. As the air circulates, the larger and/or heavier particulate carried in the airflow falls downward through the separation chamber 50. Eventually, the larger particulate falls into the particulate collection region 52 of the canister housing 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the separation chamber 50 is free of obstructions. That is, with the exception of the particulate carried by the airflow, the volume of the separation chamber is empty so as to not inhibit the free circulation of air within the chamber.

The particulate collection region 52 located beneath the separation chamber 50 is preferably of a shape that impedes or causes the circulation of airflow to cease. In the illustrated embodiment, an expansion region 106 provided between the cylindrical separation chamber 50 and the larger non-cylindrical particulate collection region 52 stops the cyclone effect to permit the larger particulate to settle. In the illustrated embodiment, a removable tray 58 is located within the particulate collection region 52. Preferably, the tray 58 is sized and positioned within the region 52 such that the larger particulate that falls from the separate chamber 50 falls within the tray 58.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion 44 of the canister housing 16 includes a covered opening 60 that provides access to the tray 58 (FIG. 3). The covered opening 60 in the shown embodiment includes a removable rear panel 62 that partially defines the particulate collection region 52. Securing devices 64, such as latches, secure the removable panel 62 to the lower portion 44 of the canister housing 16. To empty the particulate collected within the particulate collection region 52, the user simply removes the panel 62 from the lower portion of the canister housing 16, and empties the tray 58.

Some of the particulate carried by the airflow is fine, and not heavy or large enough to fall down into the particulate collection region 52 of the canister vacuum 14. The finer particulate is instead carried by the airflow into the upper portion 42 of the canister housing 16. The upper portion 42 of the canister housing 16 defines a filter chamber 66. The filter chamber 66 is located above the separation chamber 50. A removable filter 70 (FIG. 3) is positioned within the filter chamber 66 of the canister housing 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable filter 70 has a cylindrical shape similar to the shape of the filter chamber 66.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the filter 70 has an inlet side 72 and an outlet side 74. Air flows through the inlet side 72, and exits from the outlet side 74. Finer particulate, e.g., smaller-sized dirt particles and dust, still carried by the airflow from the separation chamber 50 is filtered from the air and trapped in the filter 70, primarily at the inlet side 72 of the filter.

The canister housing 16 of the canister vacuum 14 defines a canister housing outlet 68 through which the clean, filtered air is exhausted. The canister outlet 68 is an annular opening provided between the upper and lower portions 42, 44 of the canister housing 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet or annular opening 68 is located between the separation chamber 50 of the lower portion 44 of the canister housing 16 and the filter chamber 66 of the upper portion 42.

The annular opening 68 is in fluid communication with an output side 94 of the filter chamber 66, but is sealed from fluid communication with an input side 96 of the filter chamber 66. That is, the canister housing 16 is constructed to create upper and lower annular seals 98, 100 between the housing 16 and the filter 70 when the filter 70 is seated within the filter chamber 66. In particular, the upper seal 98 is created between a top wall 78 of the upper portion 42 of the canister housing 16, and the lower seal 100 is created between a top edge 102 of the lower portion 44 of the canister housing. Accordingly, airflow entering the canister housing 16 can only exit the housing by passing through the filter 70 and out the annular opening 68.

As with any filter, over time, dirt and dust collected by the filter 70 can cause the filter 70 to become clogged. The present canister vacuum arrangement 10 includes a filter cleaning device 80 for maintenance of the filter 70.

The filter cleaning device 80 includes a dust removal arrangement 82 that removes dust and finer particulate from the filter 70 to extend the filter's useful life. Preferably, the dust removal arrangement 82 can be operated without removing the filter 70 from the canister housing 16 to avoid the mess associated with traditional methods of filter cleaning.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the dust removal arrangement 82 is operated by an operating mechanism 84 located at an exterior 76 of the canister housing 16. The operating mechanism 84 is accessible at the exterior 76 of the housing for cleaning the filter 70 (FIG. 3) while sealed within the filter chamber 66. The operating mechanism 84 shown is a rotatable handle 86. The handle 86 extends from the top wall 78 of the canister housing 16, and is coupled to the dust removal arrangement 82 located within the filter chamber 66.

Referring to FIG. 3, the dust removal arrangement 82 of the filter cleaning device 80 is a flapper arrangement having one or more flaps 88 attached to a central shaft 90. In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning device 80 includes three flaps 88 that radially extend from the central shaft 90. Each of the flaps 88 includes a pliable blade 92 that contacts the inlet side 72 of the filter 70. To clean the filter, the user rotates the handle 86, which in turn rotates that central shaft 90. The flaps 88 then rotate within the interior of the filter 70 such that the pliable blades 92 contact or scrape the inlet side 72 of the filter. Dust and particulate shaken or scraped from the filter 70 by the flapper arrangement 82 falls through the separation region 50 and is collected in the tray 58 of the particulate collection region 52.

In use, the blower motor 18 generates airflow. The airflow draws in particulate from a work area through the intake hose 38. The particulate is transported to the separation chamber 50 via the intermediate tube 40. At the separation chamber 50, the particulate carried by the airflow is separated into larger particulate and finer particulate by the cyclone effect created within the separation chamber. The larger particulate falls through the separation chamber 50 and is collected within the particulate collection region 52 of the canister housing 16. The finer particulate is carried by the airflow into the filter chamber 66 of the canister housing 16.

The airflow passes from the input side 96 of the filter chamber 66 to the output side 94 through the filter 70. The filter 70 filters the finer particulate from the airflow. Clean, filtered air from the output side 94 of the filter chamber 66 is exhausted through the annular opening 68 of the canister housing 16.

The canister vacuum 14 of the disclosed canister vacuum arrangement 10 improves particulate retention by providing a canister housing 16 that contains and captures particulate and dust in a more effective manner than conventional arrangements. The canister vacuum arrangement 10 enhances the ease of use of the canister vacuum by providing a cart-mounted arrangement that is easy to transport to and about a working area.

The canister vacuum 14 also eliminates the mess associated with conventional methods of emptying a vacuum or of cleaning filter elements. In contrast to some conventional arrangements, the present arrangement 10 permits a user to empty the particulate collection region 52 without having to remove the filter 70. That is, a user may simply access the removable collection tray 58 through the covered opening 60 of particulate collection region 52. In addition, the filter 70 can be cleaned without removing the filter from the filter chamber 66. The user need only rotate the handle 86 of the filter cleaning device 80 to maintenance the filter.

The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. 

1. A canister vacuum arrangement, comprising: a) a cart having a front end and a rear end, the cart including wheels for transport of the canister vacuum arrangement; b) a blower motor mounted adjacent to one of the front and rear ends of the cart, the blower motor including an inlet and an outlet; c) a canister housing mounted adjacent to the other of the front and rear ends of the cart, the canister housing including a canister inlet and a canister outlet, the outlet of the blower motor being interconnected to the canister inlet, the canister housing including: i) a cylindrical separation chamber; ii) a particulate collection region located beneath the separation chamber; and iii) a filter chamber located above the separation chamber, the filter chamber and the separation chamber defining the canister outlet therebetween; and d) a removable filter positioned within the filter chamber of the canister housing, the filter chamber having an inlet side and an outlet side; e) wherein airflow generated by the blower motor enters the canister housing at the cylindrical separation chamber, flows through the filter, and exits the canister housing through the canister outlet.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein a first seal and a second seal are provided between the inlet side and the outlet side of the filter chamber when the filter is positioned within the filter chamber.
 3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the canister inlet is oriented to direct incoming airflow generated by the blower motor toward an adjacent inner wall surface of the separation chamber such that a cyclone effect is created during operation of the canister vacuum arrangement.
 4. The arrangement of claim 1, further including a filter cleaning device that cleans the filter without removing the filter from the filter chamber, the filter cleaning device including an operating mechanism located at an exterior of the canister housing.
 5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the operating mechanism includes a rotatable handle.
 6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the rotatable handle extends from a top wall of the filter chamber, the rotatable handle being coupled to a dust removal arrangement located within the filter chamber.
 7. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the filter cleaning device includes a flapper arrangement that rotates within an interior of the filter to clean the filter.
 8. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the filter chamber is in communication with the particulate collection region such that particulate removed from the filter by the filter cleaning device falls through the separation chamber and into the particulate collection region.
 9. The arrangement of claim 1, further including a removable collection tray located within the particulate collection region.
 10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the canister housing further includes a covered opening, the covered opening providing access to the removable collection tray located within the particulate collection region.
 11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical separation chamber defines a volume, the volume being obstruction-free.
 12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein a circular airflow pattern is created within the separation chamber, and wherein the particulate collection region defines an expansion region that stops the circular airflow pattern and permits some of the particulate carried in the airflow to settle.
 13. A canister vacuum, comprising: a) a canister housing including an upper housing portion detachably secured to a lower housing portion, the canister housing defining an annular vacuum outlet between the upper and lower housing portions, the lower housing portion including a cylindrical separation chamber having an obstruction-free volume; b) a blower motor that generates airflow from a work area to the canister housing; c) a removable filter positioned within the upper housing portion of the canister housing; and d) wherein airflow generated by the blower motor enters that canister housing at the cylindrical separation chamber, flows through the filter, and exits the canister housing through the annular vacuum outlet.
 14. The canister vacuum of claim 13, further including a particulate collection region located beneath the separation chamber.
 15. The canister vacuum of claim 14, wherein the separation chamber creates a circular airflow pattern, and wherein larger particulate carried by the airflow falls from the separation chamber into the particulate collection region.
 16. The canister vacuum of claim 15, wherein the particulate collection region defines an expansion region that stops the circular airflow pattern to allow the larger particulate carried in the airflow to settle.
 17. The canister vacuum of claim 13, further including a filter cleaning device that cleans the filter without detaching the upper portion of the canister housing from the lower housing portion of the canister housing.
 18. The canister vacuum of claim 17, wherein the filter cleaning device includes an operating mechanism located at an exterior of the canister housing, the operating mechanism being coupled to a dust removal arrangement located within the canister housing.
 19. The canister vacuum of claim 18, wherein particulate removed from the filter by the filter cleaning device is captured within a particulate collection region located beneath the separation chamber of the canister housing.
 20. A method of using a canister vacuum arrangement, the method comprising the steps of: a) operating a blower motor to generate airflow that carries particulate from a work area to a canister housing of the canister vacuum arrangement, the particulate including larger-sized particulate and finer-sized particulate; b) separating the larger-sized particulate from the finer-sized particulate by circulating the airflow within a separation chamber of the canister housing; c) collecting the larger-sized particulate within a particulate collection region of the canister housing, the particulate collection region being located below the separation chamber; d) collecting the finer-sized particulate in a filter positioned in a filter chamber of the canister housing, the filter chamber being located above the separation chamber, the filter chamber including a dirty air input side and a clean air output side; and e) exhausting clean filtered air from the clean air output side of the filter chamber through an annular opening formed between the filter chamber of the canister housing and the separation chamber. 